Voters in Evanston gave overwhelming support to a referendum on the ballot Nov. 6, 2018 that asks if the city should save the Harley Clarke Mansion.

Voters in Evanston gave overwhelming support to a referendum on the ballot Nov. 6, 2018 that asks if the city should save the Harley Clarke Mansion. (Brian L. Cox / Pioneer Press)

Brian L. CoxPioneer Press

The fate of the Harley Clarke Mansion in Evanston was one of the foremost issues on voters’ minds as they headed to the polls Tuesday, with response to a referendum on whether to leave the building standing getting a resounding ‘yes’.

According to unofficial election results from the Cook County Clerk’s Office, 80 percent of voters said ‘yes’ to the referendum asking if the city-owned lakefront mansion at the center of one of the city’s biggest controversies should be preserved. The unofficial results indicate that 20 percent responded ‘no.’

“I'm not surprised,” Evanston Mayor Steve Hagerty said about the referendum response. “I've always thought many people wanted to save the mansion. The question the community has struggled with, up until recently, has not been do we want to save the mansion but rather how do we save the mansion.”

The city owns the building but some leaders want to demolish it because city officials say Evanston cannot afford the approximately $5 million it would cost to fix it up.

Voters had a different view.

“I’m a big believer in historical preservation and the beatification of the waterfront,” said Evanston resident Deja Augustine. He cast a ‘yes’ vote for the referendum.

“I very much support that,” he said.

Evanston entered into a non-binding memorandum of understanding with Lighthouse Dunes citizens group that the city manager confirmed has already paid the city over $400,000 toward tearing down the mansion — which has not been used since 2015.

But another preservation group successfully got the referendum on Tuesday’s ballot.

“Shall the City of Evanston protect from demolition and preserve the landmark Harley Clarke buildings and gardens next to Lighthouse Beach, for use and access as public property, consistent with the Evanston Lakefront Master Plan, at minimal or no cost to Evanston taxpayers?” the referendum asked.

The mayor said voters’ response bears contemplation.

“I think we all need to take time to digest this vote. I'd like to talk to the aldermen and members of the Dunes group to see where they stand now that we have more than 25,000 residents who have all basically said ‘try harder to save the mansion,’” Hagerty said.

Some voters were candid in their support for either saving the mansion from a wrecking ball or demolishing it.

“Some of the past should remain with us,” said Ruth Bauer, 92, who said she fled Nazi Germany for America in 1936. “We shouldn’t forget it. We shouldn’t eliminate it for the buck.”

Others also said they voted to spare the building because they believe it adds value to the community.

Richard Nemanich said he is “on the fence” when it comes to saving the Harley Clarke Mansion.

“If they preserve it what are they going to use it for?” he asked. “If they tear it down what are they going to use the land for? We don’t have the complete picture. I voted to preserve it because I’d rather make a mistake that way than the other way.”

The Harley Clarke Mansion referendum was advisory. While aldermen had voted 5-3 in July to enter into the memorandum of understanding with the Lighthouse Dunes group to tear the building down, it remains to be seen how or if voters’ response to the referendum changes city leaders’ views.

Several aldermen said Wednesday that they are not surprised by the support for the referendum.

“The tremendous referendum result shows that the support for keeping Harley Clarke goes well beyond the crowds that attend our council meetings,” Ald. Eleanor Revelle told the Evanston Review. “It tells us that the community as a whole values this building and wants us to find a way to give the mansion a new life on our lakefront.”

The 7th Ward leader was one of the three aldermen who voted against establishing the memorandum of understanding with the Lighthouse Dunes group to pay for demolition.

Ald. Don Wilson, 4th Ward, was not present at the July meeting when aldermen considered the memorandum of understanding measure.

But a month before at the June 18 meeting, he was one of three ward leaders who voted ‘no’ to a resolution that would allow the city manager to meet with the pro-demolition group to discuss costs. That resolution passed 6-3.

“I'm not surprised by the voter response. I think that there generally has been support for finding some solution that would allow the building to remain standing for some time,” Wilson said a day after the election.

Wilson explained how the City Council had previously tried to consider plans to repurpose the 91-year-old mansion, but nothing came of it.

“I would prefer to find some use for the building, but I also agree that we shouldn't be using significant taxpayer money to do that. I am hopeful that some ideas will come … from the fact that there is this broad conversation in our community and other communities. Already there's been some talk and some suggestions on ideas that I think might be potentially workable.”

The alderman did not elaborate on those suggestions or ideas.

It was Ald. Tom Suffredin, 6th Ward, who had spoken publicly in support of getting the referendum on the ballot.

“I expected it to pass with a large majority,” he said Wednesday. “It's clear that there's a large amount of community support for preserving the mansion at no cost to the taxpayer.”

But Suffredin conceded that there are no immediate or specific preservation plans or proposals. He added, however, that even with the public sentiment, at least one of the aldermen who favors demolition would have to change their mind.

City Manager Wally Bobkiewicz said the way forward on this issue is up to the City Council.

“We'll have to wait and see if the council decides to change its direction. At this point, the direction remains to move forward with demolition. At this point, we'll just have to wait and see," Bobkiewicz said.